The bear, which was believed to weigh about 300 pounds, was spotted earlier by two residents in the area at about 10 a.m., was moving “in a westerly direction and headed right into a residential area” when it was shot, Sgt. Dave Cross said.

“Unfortunately, there were no other alternatives available to us at that time. So, given the public safety issue the bear presented, it had to be killed.”

Halton police and Burlington animal control officials, who were also on scene, do not have tranquilizing capability, Cross said. He noted that police contacted the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) after they received reports of the sightings, but no one from the MNR was able to attend at the time.

Police say officers fired four shots at the animal. The bear’s body is now with animal control, which will take measurements of the animal.

Director of planning and building Bruce Krushelnicki said they plan to release the carcass to a Six Nations group that contacted the city. The Six Nations group wants to perform a ritual for the bear, he said.

Students at Mountainside area schools were not allowed outside for recess or other activities as police hunted for the bear.

Wednesday bear shooting marks a week of bear sightings in Halton.

A black bear was spotted in Milton in the area of Guelph Line and Highway 401 in Milton Saturday. There was another sighting of a bear on a farmer’s property in the area of Sixth Line and Lower Base Road in Milton on Sunday.

Cross said police could not determine whether the bear killed Wednesday is the same animal.

The police’s special tactical unit had fanned out across the park in search of the bear after two residents reported separate sightings about 10 a.m.

The Halton public school board had two elementary schools in a “hold and secure” status – Rolling Meadows, a JK to Grade 8 school on Mountain Grove Ave. with 590 students; and Clarksdale, a JK to Grade 6 school on Mountainside Drive with 825 students.

Public school spokesperson Marnie Denton said high school M.M. Robinson was not affected.